Hella Rumschlag is the media specialist and technology coordinator at Mohawk Trails Elementary School in Carmel, IN. Start learning about Hella by reading a brief bio at http://eduscapes.com/- - rumschlag.html.Mohawk Trails Library Media Center http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/- -media-center/
Hella is an active member in ILF and AIME; she is a presenter at the upcoming conference. She has been able to effectively collaborate with teachers and students in her building. Helen uses Moodle for a YHBA (Young Hoosier Book Award) program and also supports several teachers with their use of Moodle in the classroom. She is about to launch another collaborative Moodle between two grade 2 and 3 transition classes at two different schools.
Hella's extensive background makes her an excellent resource for discussion on career change, combined responsibilties for technology and library media, and other topics directly related to schools and learning.
Hello Hella. Thank you for blogging with us and answering all of our questions. I have a friend that did his student teaching in Carmel and he really enjoyed it, and now he teaches in Alaska. I want to start by asking you some practical questions and perhaps get some advice. What is the job outlook in Indiana for media specialists? What will increase our chances of finding employment? It seems that one must be willing to relocate, which I am. I also will not finish the program until Aug. 9th, will that be too late to apply for jobs in the 2010-2011 year? Thank you so very much, Steve Skirvin
ReplyDeleteOh Hella, just another quick question- what are your weeding practices and are they really as big of a pain as people say they are, sort of a necessary evil? And quickly, what do you think of flexbile scheduling versus fixed scheduling?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steve Skirvin
Hello Hella - I am interested in this - can you please explain how you use Moodle for this?
ReplyDeleteHelen uses Moodle for a YHBA (Young Hoosier Book Award) program
I am also intrigued, as Judy is, about how you're using Moodle for a YHBA program. My school actively uses Moodle at the middle and high school level, but I haven't begun using it for library programs. I know last week there was a post on LM_Net list serve about how to use Moodle at the elementary level for libraries, but no responses.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your prior careers: research microbiologist, stay at home mom, and now librarian. That makes you very well rounded! I have been a special education teacher, stay at home mom, and now teacher-librarian.
Sherry Gick
Teacher-Librarian
Rossville Middle/High School
I see that your previous library related jobs were all in the same area but at different schools. Would you suggest working in elementary, middle, and high school libraries before deciding on one? How did you make the decision to take the job you're in? Was it what was available or were there more variables in play?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Erin Webster
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the current economy is not friendly to media programs in Indiana. If you are willing to relocate, you might find more openings elsewhere. But it only takes one offer - so you never know until you try! I know that my student teaching experience helped me find a position in this district. If you are already a teacher and don't need student teaching experience, I would recommend volunteering in a media center, if possible. In our district, all of the elementary media assistants were cut this year, so we rely very heavily on volunteers. A volunteer who is working toward a MLS degree would be greatly appreciated. You would gain hands-on experience and would benefit from the recommendations that result. As to your second question about timing your job search, I think you could start searching before you graduate.
Hella
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteWeeding is not my favorite thing to do. I have to be in the right frame of mind and my pack-rat genes have to be sleeping. When I started in this position, I took the opportunity to rearrange the picture book and fiction side of the library and did a lot of weeding along the way. Last year, our school was renovated and all of the books in the library had to be boxed up. Over the summer, I put them all back on the shelves and weeded a lot from all over the library. I also weed as needed on a daily basis, so if I see a book that I'm embarrassed to send home because it's been loved to death or a book that is clearly out of date, I'll delete it immediately.
Flexible vs. Fixed (Quick question? Ha!) In my classes, I learned that flexible is better. I am on a fixed schedule here, because Media and Computer Lab are on the specials schedule, along with art, music, PE, and Spanish. It's a complicated schedule, but I do cover classroom teachers' prep time. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to this schedule. The advantage is that I get to teach all 500+ students every two weeks. In the computer lab, I can teach all students in one grade level specific skills associated with each project. Before I started teaching computer lab (the third year I was here), there was a lot of inconsistency as far as what students in a particular grade knew with regard to technology. Some classroom teachers are very tech-savvy and took their classes to the computer lab frequently - and some did not integrate technology on their own. By teaching the same lessons to all students in a grade level, I can help get them all on the same page. The same holds true in the media center. I can support classroom literacy units with the same read-alouds and integrate information literacy skills for all students in a given grade level. The disadvantage is that time is always the enemy. We live by the minute hand on the clock. If I had a flexible schedule, I could schedule longer blocks of time for specific projects. (I do that occasionally, but not on a regular basis.) However... the media center is always open to students for checkout, and students in grades 2-5 have their own library cards to use at the self-checkout stations, so in that respect, we are flexible.
Hella
Ooh, a self check out station? That sounds great! Have you had any difficulties with it? I'm looking about setting up a self check out station for my middle and high schoolers.
ReplyDeleteA fixed schedule is almost a necessity at the elementary level. It sounds like both a blessing and a curse. :)
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteI use Moodle as the accountability piece for our YHBA program for fourth and fifth graders. Upon completing a book, students complete an entry in a fiction or nonfiction database. They are required to enter certain information, such as title, author, and student's name. They also answer a few questions about the book. For fiction: "What was your favorite part of the book? Why was it your favorite? Make a text to text, text to self, or text to world connection. Who is your favorite character and why?" They also select a genre for the book from a list of choices and rate the book from Poor to Excellent. The nonfiction database requires them to enter 3 facts they learned from the book. I don't grade these and the quality varies widely, but I use it to keep track of who has earned the incentive rewards. The Moodle also includes an opinion forum, where students may discuss their favorite titles, and it includes PDF files of the list of titles and other information about the YHBA program. Students also have the option to do other online activities from the Read Write Think site to show me that they have read a YHBA book. I also offer them paper-and-pencil options associated with our literacy series.
Hella
Hi Sherry,
ReplyDeleteI hope my post to Judy answered some of your questions about the Moodle. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know about how I am using it.
I think you will find that your experiences will be very beneficial as you begin this career!
Hella
Hi Erin,
ReplyDeleteI love the enthusiasm for learning you see at the elementary level. When I was a stay-at-home mom, I volunteered in my sons' elementary school library. I found myself looking forward to Thursday every week, so when a position for a part-time assistant opened up, I applied. One day, my media specialist handed me a flyer from IUPUI. And here I am. I did some student teaching at a middle school, but felt much more at home during my elementary school student teaching experience.
Hella
I love the self-checkout station and so do the kids. It empowers them to get what they want whenever they want it. It is definitely not perfect and I know sometimes items leave the library without being checked out properly, but I can honestly say that almost all eventually find their way back. One of our middle school librarians expressed concern about using self-checkout at that level because students might try to outsmart the system. I guess you would have to weigh the costs and benefits and decide whether it would be beneficial. We have strong support for this at the district level - and the administrators understand that some items may be lost.
ReplyDeleteHella
Great points Hella. I think that if we want to be more than just "book sitters", we have to be willing to have self-check out stations so we, as teacher-librarians, can be teaching students and not just scanning books. I don't have an assistant, so the extra flexibility would be nice even for me to do more readers advisory in the stacks while students are checking out instead of having to stay at my desk and be bombarded by questions and check-outs at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI know I would enjoy elementary school as well (I taught at that level for 5 years. I actually supervise our elementary library, but it is run by a paraprofessional (and always has been).
What types of incentives do you offer with your YHBA program? I have the middle school titles and really want the students to actively participate and vote this year. Next year, I'm thinking of using the titles in a middle school Battle of the Books competition.
Hi Sherry,
ReplyDeleteI am grateful to be in a district where we have a LMS in each elementary school. I know some districts do not.
I have different levels of YHBA incentives. For reading 5 books from the intermediate list, students may vote for their favorite and I send our numbers to the ILF to add to the statewide tally. For reading 5 books, they may also participate in Battle of the Books. For 10 books, they are invited to a pizza party during lunch. For 15 book readers, I am hoping to get some gift certificates for our spring book fair from the PTO, but that isn't certain yet. Students who read 20 books are invited to go to a local bookstore with me after school to purchase books for the library. Students work in pairs. They get a budget and must calculate the total after our discount. It's a lot of fun!
Hella
Hella-
ReplyDeleteI love your background! I am sure it has helped make you a very educated professional among media specialists!
I was happy to see your shared files of "Literature suggest in the State of Indiana's Curriculum Framework." It is a great way of collaboration, without having to push it on those who are not ready to collaborate. I actually printed off your suggestions for my class:)
I am wondering about collaboration. As a teacher now, I am always happy to work with other colleagues in teaching my students and enhancing lessons any way possible. When first starting out, what were a couple things that helped you get to know your colleagues and reach out to them? Thank you for blogging with us!
Jessica
Hella-
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to answer questions for us. It looks like you have done a lot of great work at the Carmel School District. I student taught at an elementary school and we participated in YHBA. The prizes were divided up like yours, but all our students had to do was pass a quiz (either 80% or 90% I can't remember which). How do you think the creating poems, letters, etc. is more beneficial to students. Do you find that students have a better understanding than taking a quiz? Do more or less students participate in YHBA? Any other information this is important to this program?
Thank you, April.
Hella this is very interesting - how you use Moodle. SO there is a database function in Moodle that allows students to enter data? Can they upload pictures or an audio or video file if they want? Thank you much.
ReplyDeleteI use Moodle as the accountability piece for our YHBA program for fourth and fifth graders. Upon completing a book, students complete an entry in a fiction or nonfiction database.
Hello Hella~
ReplyDeleteThank you for blogging. I don't actually know where to start. You are a wealth of information. You wouldn't by any chance be attending the ILF conference?? I will be there Sunday through Tuesday and would love to sit down and talk if you are attending and have some time.
Some background: I taught elementary school for 7 years and was hired this year as a media specialist in a k-4 building. I am lucky enough to have a media assistant and technology aide.
Ok, on to the questions. At this point, I am feeling completely overwhelmed, not with the teaching aspect so much, but just with the job in general. I have come to the conclusion that until the teachers feel a trust between themselves and me, collaboration will have to wait. I have offered to pull books for units and found sites for the teachers for fire prevention and red ribbon week, etc... I am trying to show them that I am here to help them. I also asked for any books or videos they are interested in, but the response was limited. Any advice for a first year media specialist on how to get the teachers to use the media center?
Reading incentives: I have started the YHBA program with my fourth graders. This year, I have them coming to talk to me about the books, but next year I am hoping to move to blogging or something like you do with the Moodle. Is there a way I might be able to get onto your Moodle site to see exactly what the students do? Do you do any other programs with your students to promote reading? I have a lot of students checking out books, but there is no accountability. I would rather have my numbers go down in circulation and reading go up. We currently have the AR program and a decent number of quizzes. I thought about possibly offering an optional program where students read and take quizzes and then use the points they earn to buy things from an AR store. How do you feel about AR and what are your feelings of my idea.
I know I asked a lot of questions. I am going to stop there. Thanks in advance for your insights!
Elissa Ellis
I have to apologize, I just reread your short biography and it clearly states that you will be at the conference. I don't know how I missed that. You are also a presenter, so I would imagine you will be extremely busy. Sorry again for missing that!
ReplyDeleteElissa Ellis
Hella-
ReplyDeleteAfter exploring your Media Center webpage a little further, I noticed that you have extensive resources. Did you create all of these pages on your own? I liked a lot of the Computer workstations for the various grade levels. I imagine the teachers appreciate that!
What are some of your collaborative projects you do with each grade level? I am always looking for ways to collaborate with our librarian, but she doesn't seem to want to change the plans she has created. Do you have any advice on how to get her to be a little more open to the idea of collaboration with me? I know that she has lots of experience with children and literature so I think she would be very wonderful to collaborate with, its just getting her to be open to it. Thank you for your help!
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIt does take time to get to know the classroom teachers. I communicate with them in a variety of ways. Sometimes I get the idea for a lesson while walking down the hall with a teacher and I'll follow up with an e-mail with a proposed lesson. Sometimes we exchange e-mails only. Sometimes I'll join them for lunch or start up a conversation during a staff breakfast. Sometimes I request formal meetings for 20 minutes after school and there's always someone at a given grade level who will take the time to meet with me. I work with a truly wonderful staff and they are great about sharing what is happening in the classroom. I do want to add that it is really important to have a grasp of the literacy series, the Social Studies curriculum, and the Science curriculum, in addition to Indiana's Academic Standards. I certainly don't have all of that information memorized, but I know where to find it, and before talking to a teacher about possible media and computer lab lessons, I make sure I understand where they are with regard to unit, theme, etc.
I should also mention that I have a "chocolate basket" in the media center for staff:-)
Hella
Hi April,
ReplyDeleteWe used to use AR quizzes, but I prefer the other activities because they require higher level thinking and allow for more creativity. I think each system of accountability has advantages and disadvantages. AR quizzes are certainly easier to keep track of. With the variety of options available in our current system, I think each student will find a good way to communicate their understanding. The number of YHBA participants has grown over the past 4 years, but I realize that other factors may be involved and I can't say that the growth is due to the accountability system.
Hella
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteYes, the database allows students to type in text boxes to respond to a specific question and also to upload images. I do not see a way to upload a video in a database.
Hella
Hi! Thanks for blogging with us. I have a career question: Do you recommend working in a library as you work towards the degree? Do you think it is difficult to find jobs when you get the degree but have little practical library experience? I ask because I am having a difficult time finding a job in any library and could very well have my degree before I have the job! Thanks for any input you have.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you kind of answered my question in a response to Steve and I somehow missed it! I do have another question about your website- do you maintain the site or does your school hire a professional to do it? What do you do to keep up with technology?
ReplyDeleteHi Elissa,
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to meet with you at the conference! I am presenting Monday morning, so anytime Monday afternoon or on Tuesday would work. Please send me an e-mail at hrumschl@ccs.k12.in.us and we can figure out what works.
I read your comments about wanting to work with teachers and then I read Jessica's comments about trying to work with her media specialist and I had to go take a chocolate break. I don't know a magic formula for getting collaboration started. In that respect, a fixed schedule is an advantage, because classes will be there and you don't have to ask teachers to take extra time out of the classroom. When I was an assistant, I worked in a media center with flexible scheduling. When she first started, the media specialist managed to find a few teachers willing to try collaborating on lessons - and they talked about their experiences with their colleagues -and her collaborations grew from there. Hopefully there is someone you can work with to get started. Word travels fast among teachers! You might try sharing a technology tool such as http://wordle.net or Google Earth at a staff meeting, along with ideas on how to use them to support the curriculum.
When we meet at ILF I can show you the Moodle. It's a password-protected site, which makes it a great tool to use with students.
I think AR can be useful for accountability if used properly. My own son became an avid reader in fourth grade because the opportunity to earn points appealed to his competitive side. However, I have seen it abused as well. When students are required to choose ONLY AR books from a specific level and pass a test before moving on to the next level, they are not learning to enjoy reading and become lifelong readers. Instead, reading becomes a chore. It was frustrating to me to hear students say they needed an "AR book worth 3 points". They had no idea of what kind of book they wanted to read; it didn't matter as long as it gave them those 3 points. They didn't think about their own interests. And it was painful for me to hear students say "I met my AR goal, so I don't need a book". I think AR is fine if it is just one of the options available to students. I think it's better if they are also allowed to choose from among a variety of activites to show that they've read a book.
If you want to reward readers with prizes, how about a book exchange shelf, where kids can bring in a gently used book from home and trade it for another? I think that would be more meaningful than candy or toys.
I know I could do more to encourage reading - there's always more that can be done, but I run out of time...
Hella
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteOur district hired a company to create the website framework and we enter the content. This system allows us to maintain a consistent design, but content is specific. We have wonderful tech support at the district level. We have a variety of training opportunities throughout the year and I can also ask our Technology Specialist to come out to the school to conduct a training session for the staff, if needed. I schedule at least one optional training (for websites, Moodles, databases, etc.) for teachers after school each month. At each staff meeting. I or other teachers share technology tips.
This past summer I attended my first NECC (ISTE) conference in Washington DC. It was an amazing experience and I brought back more information and ideas about technology than I know what to do with! If you have a chance to go (the next one is in Denver in 2010), I would highly recommend it. Technology is an essential component of what we do and of what we must teach our students. We need to prepare our students for their future, not for our past. Technology is a big part of the future and we have to step out of our comfort zone to learn how to teach with it and to teach our students how to use it effectively and ethically.
Hella
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteThe prospects for employment in our field right now are not very good, but you know they will bounce back! It definitely helps to have experience in a library and if you can't find a paying job, you might consider volunteering. A letter of recommendation would be very valuable as your begin your search for a position. Practical experience in a library will give you a head start and lower the stress of starting a new job.
Hella
Hello Hella,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your expertise as a School Media Specialist. I would like to ask you to share some advice or tips on classroom management, dealing with discipline issues, and planning lessons. Also, what curriculum do you follow when teachers are not very cooperative with planning lessons and do you have a favorite website that offers lesson plans for Media Specialist?
Thank You,
LaKea
Hella,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing about your reading incentives for the YHBA program. I'm very interested in doing something similar at my school. Your ideas are wonderful! (and so usable!)
Thanks again-
Sherry
Hella,
ReplyDeleteThank you for blogging with us. I am an elementary media specialist and my goal for this year is to integrate much more technology into my lessons, especially for sixth graders. Can you recommend a really great activity or online resource that was enjoyable and engaged your students?
Hella~
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to meeting with you at the conference. I will be in touch this week. I can't believe the conference is already next week. This school year is going by so quickly.
Thank you for your advice about collaboration and reading incentives. I am hoping to come up with a program and start it second semester. Unfortunately coming into the position late in the summer, I didn't have time to design something that would work for me. The previous media specialist didn't have one in place. She had a YHBA program in place, but it was that each student had to write a report about each book they read. I found out from the fourth grade teachers that they had only about one student per class participate. They were excited to see their students so excited about the program this year. I have quite a few trying to read more than the five required to vote.
As the media specialist, it is also our job to promote technology. Last year, the previous media specialist ordered new classroom computers. The teachers had a choice to have computers in their rooms or not. We do have two computer labs, but it still seems like each classroom should have student computers available. What are your views on this matter? I suppose if the computers were just going to sit their and not be used; it wouldn't be worth the cost. I just feel that it is a disadvantage to the students.
Thanks,
Elissa Ellis
Hella-
ReplyDeleteThank you for the response on AR quizzes and YHBA. After reading through other postings and thinking about school media centers, I started thinking about collaboration. I grew up in Hamilton County and know there are some amazing schools in the area. I student taught in Noblesville and collaboration was a HUGE factor in the school and district. How do you collaborate with teachers and media specialists? Do you collaborate outside of the school district?
Thank you.
April
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to revisit a question you had because I didn't give a complete answer. I don't see a way to upload videos in the database module on Moodle, BUT you can upload videos as files and have them play in the Moodle. At ILF I will be presenting with two teachers about a Booktalk Moodle which included a lot of videos of students' booktalks.
Hella
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to share one example of a collaborative project I am currently doing with fourth grade. In their literacy series, they have a theme about animals and the writing skill is report writing. Students used nonfiction books, encyclopedias, and online databases to find information about specific animals native to Indiana. They took notes on a graphic organizer I modeled after the graphic organizers in their literacy series and they completed a very simple Works Cited page. They worked on their research during our regularly scheduled media and computer lab times and also in their classrooms. In the classroom, the teachers guided them through the process of using their notes to write a paragraph about each subtopic. The next step will be to type their paragraphs into PowerPoint slides during our computer lab times. The art teacher is working with them to draw pictures of their animals, which I will scan into the computer so they can be pulled into the PowerPoint slides. The finished slides will be converted to PDF and uploaded to the web. This is a project we started last year, but have revised considerably. There's always room for improvement and the first time for any project is a real learning experience, not only for the students, but for the teachers as well!
Hella
Hi Kristin,
ReplyDeleteGoogle Earth is a fantastic resource! I used it with fifth graders at the beginning of this year and am using it with second grade this week. I also have it on a computer at the Investigation Station in the library. It's easy to get carried away and just zoom and zip around the earth, so I would recommend creating a structured lesson with clearly defined goals. (But be sure to give your students time to explore on their own as well.) The fifth graders did too much zooming and zipping and most didn't finish the tours they were supposed to record. I will revise this lesson for next year:-) This week, second graders are flying to specific landforms to reinforce their current Social Studies unit on geography. In addition to exploring the earth, you can click on the timeline feature and see satellite images from the past. (Take a look at the World Trade Center in September 2001.) You can also fly to the moon, mars, and deep space. You can find lots of tutorials and lesson ideas online.
For more technology ideas, I would recommend Tammy Worcester's site at http://www.tammyworcester.com/Tips/Tammys_Technology_Tips_for_Teachers.html . I heard her speak at NECC; she is always on the leading edge of technology in education.
Hella
Thank you for all the information Hella. I think video or audio booktalks would be preferred by a lot of students over text based ones. It seems as if students can put a link in the database to the video. Making a video booktalk would be a great experience for students too, especially if they had to hold it to a couple of minutes. I like the book talk idea much more than a report which is often no more than a summary of the book.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, you are at least the second LMS who is not a big fan of AR. Is it just too restrictive in how it measures if a student has read a book? You seem to be into much more creative measures like Moodle and video.
ReplyDeleteHella-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great example with your 4th grade project!! I appreciate it! I was wondering if you had any collaboration projects that are geared more towards K-3? That is the building I currently teach in and if everything goes as I hope, it will be the same type of building that I can be a Media Specialist in :)
So maybe, what were a couple ideas you had or started with when first collaborating with the lower Primary grade levels? I always get st umped when it comes to technology and what 5-7 year olds can do. Thank you for all of your blogging information! This has been a great learning experience for me! :)
Jessica
Hi Elissa,
ReplyDeleteThis year we started using N-computing with our classroom student computers, so we can have 4 monitors on one CPU. One CPU can run different activities on each of the monitors. Each student logs in separately on their screen and it works very well for internet based activities, any Microsoft programs, and most network programs. It doesn't allow for multiple CD use and only the student on the "master" computer can do voice recording. (All can hear audio.) So there are some limitations, but it is economical and has allowed us to increase the number of computer stations in each classroom to 4. We have one computer lab and it is busy. I also use N-computing for computer catalog stations in the library and it works very well.
To show teachers what kinds of activities they might assign on their student computers, I made a list of online sites, asked teachers to choose the ones they liked, and created the Computer Workstations pages that are linked to the media center website. http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/mte/media-center/computerworkstations The activities are all free and web-based. Occasionally teachers will send me links to add to their pages. I think if you make it easy and convenient, you can get more teachers to use their classroom computers - and have them asking for more.
Hella
Hi Sherry,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments. I have to say that I have NO original ideas; everything I do is based on what I have learned from someone else. Sometimes I tweak it a little and sometimes a lot, but it's never entirely original.
Hella
Hi LaKea,
ReplyDeleteDuring my first two years, teachers came to media with their classes and I left the discipline issues to them. Last year I had to learn a lot in a hurry about classroom management, since I was the only teacher in the room. I have made students sit for a time out on occasion and I report general behavior to the classroom teacher - good or bad, and they take care of the rewards or consequences. If I have a child who is difficult on a regular basis, I talk to the teacher to learn more about what he or she is doing to address this behavior in the classroom. If the child knows that I understand the behavior expectations that have been laid out and if I can use the same vocabulary the teacher is using in the classroom, I have very few problems. Presenting a united front seems to be the key.
We are currently running a trial of a classroom management software in the computer lab. It allows me to do on-screen demos at all stations at once. It also allows me to darken all screens but one. To get them to focus on a demonstration on the projector screen, I have been asking kids to simply turn off their monitors and look up at the screen, so I'm not sure the software will be necessary.
I think it takes a while to establish that environment of collaboration, but if you make it convenient and easier, rather than adding one more thing to a teacher's busy day, you will succeed. I do not have a favorite site for lessons; there are so many out there and I search for whatever specific need I have at the time.
Hella
Hi April,
ReplyDeleteI agree - Noblesville has a great tradition of collaboration. I was an assistant in one of the elementary libraries for 5 1/2 years. I have commented on collaborating with teachers, but I am glad you asked about other media specialists and about collaboration outside the district. As a result of a presentation I saw at NECC this past summer, our 4/5 GT teacher and I are collaborating on a project with 4 other classrooms across the country. We are just getting started, so I can't say much about it yet... except that I am really excited to use technology to expand learning in this way. I am also working with a media specialist in another elementary school in our district on a collaborative Moodle for our 2/3 GT students this year. Collaborating with teachers and media specialists outside of the building and outside of the district will ensure a fresh batch of ideas upon which to build - and it will give our kids an authentic purpose for reading, writing, and using technology tools.
Hella
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteStudents love videotaping their booktalks. We use Flip cameras, which are simple enough for first graders to use. Before uploading to the Moodle, I like to import them into Windows Moviemaker and create a wmv from the avi file. The wmv is a smaller file and loads much more quickly on the Moodle. I have not noticed any difference in quality between avi and wmv files for our short booktalks.
(When students write, edit, and then videotape their booktalks, they are hitting a lot of standards.)
I have not tried audio booktalks, but I think that technology would be even easier to work with.
Hella
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteI believe AR quizzes can have their place, but I don't like the idea of making that the only option available to a student. I think a better activity might be to have the student create the quiz about the book. That would require some higher level thinking skills!
Hella
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite projects with first grade is the Animal Riddle Book. It evolved from a straightforward animal research project which was in place when I arrived, to a booklet using "cubing" questions, to the riddle book. I pull a stack of nonfiction books about animals. In the classroom, the teacher ensures that students select a book they are capable of reading. They read the book in the media center and complete booklet pages to give clues about their animals. They don't take notes, but we talk about putting things in their own words (books are closed while writing) and they write down the title and author of the book to show where they found their information. There are 9 half-pages in the booklet. The prompts on the pages include: "My animal likes to eat..." "My animal likes to live in this habitat:" "One thing that makes my animal different from other animals is..." "Would my animal make a good pet?" On the page titled "Did you guess?" they draw a picture of their animal. Last year, the kids were so excited about sharing with each other and couldn't wait to take them home to share with their families. The booklet is a MSPublisher file and I'd be happy to share if you send me an e-mail.
First grade also does a research project about careers and I videotape the research partners sharing some highlights while standing beside their project stapled on large construction paper.
Hella
Thank you again for blogging with us. I am looking forward to seeing you at the conference.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments about AR. My previous school pushed the program too far and it became a chore for the students. I don't want that to happen. Hence, the search for a program to promote reading and provides accountability.
Moodle was something that we used at my previous school as well. However, we didn't have the students using it very often. I am looking forward to seeing what you have done with the program.
Thank you again for your insights and advice.
See you next week!
Elissa Ellis
Hi Hella!!! My name is Megan Bell and I will graduate with my Masters in the spring. I am not a media specialist and do not intend to pursue that career path. I do hope to work at the public library in any capacity when I begin my career. When I do begin to work as a librarian I will be coming from a completely different line of work. I am a pharmacy tech currently. Did you find you had a hard time making the transition from a research microbiologist to a media specialist? I have a routine and I know what is expected of me. Sometimes I get nervous about starting something new and different after 7 years in pharmacy. I was wondering if you could provide any insight on the career shift part of your experience. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteHi Hella, it is Megan Bell again! I know this is your last day, but I am hoping you jump back on and see the new post. I was also wondering about your background with technology. I have noticed that a lot of media specialists are technologically savvy. I was wondering if technology has always been a strong point for you or if you learned as you went? I am not so great at it myself, but would like to improve. Did you fall into it the technology aspect or do you have real passion for it? Also was there a tool or person that helped you learn more about technology? Sorry for all the questions. I am just trying to relate your career shift to the fact that I will be having one myself and that sometimes I feel behind others in the field. In my current career skype, igoogle, and moodle are just not part of my day.
ReplyDeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteSince I started by volunteering in a library, then worked as an assistant while taking classes toward my MLS, my shift was very gradual. Before that, I stayed at home with my boys for several years, so I didn't go straight from the lab to the library. Change can be difficult, but it sounds like you are looking forward to it. I think the SLIS program prepares you well by facilitating interaction with working professionals; I remember interviewing an assistant library director and some reference librarians at a public library, as well as two media specialists, as part of my coursework. I think it's important to make the most of such opportunities to gain valuable insight into the profession.
Hella
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteI was definitely NOT tech-savvy before starting my career. But I jumped at every opportunity to learn. I have this quote by Teddy Roosevelt on my desk: "When you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it." That describes my experience with technology. Technology is constantly changing and the most important thing, I think, is a willingness to continue to learn, even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone.
Hella